Designers of computer systems face many competing objectives. In order to achieve maximum computational performance, electronic computer components such as processor chips are often very complex and are operated at high clock speeds, resulting in significant power dissipation. In order to prevent physical damage from high temperatures that would otherwise be generated, special attention is paid to cooling these components. Natural and forced convection with air may be inadequate, so various devices and techniques have been developed for removing heat from electronic components by thermal conduction. In some systems, a conformable array of thermally conductive pins contacts components on a printed circuit board and conducts heat generated by the components into a heat dissipating object. The heat dissipating object may be further cooled by convection in air, by having a chilled fluid circulated within it, or by a combination of such methods.
At the same time, it is desirable that a computer system be small. The goal of small size competes with the goal of maximum performance. To achieve maximum performance, it is desirable to include many heat-generating components and to operate them at their extreme capabilities, but enclosing them in a small space can result in the interior of the space rising to a temperature significantly above the ambient environment. Furthermore, the goal of small size makes it difficult to include components designed to cool the electronics inside the computer. The small size may also hinder convenient service and maintenance of the computer.